There will be public skating every day from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1 at the “Winter Classic Community Rink at Stage AE,” the Pittsburgh Penguins announced today.

The rink will be built in the Stage AE parking lot adjacent to Heinz Field and will open for public skating from 3 p.m.-9 p.m. on Christmas Eve – including a special “Skate With Santa” that day from 4p.m.-6 p.m. The cost for public skating is $7 per session, and skate rental is $3.

Construction of the rink will start Sunday, following the Steelers’ game.

Youth hockey games also will be played on Winter Classic Community Rink from Dec 26. – Jan. 2, featuring local amateur and high school teams. The Pittsburgh ICE inner-city hockey program, the Mighty Penguins sled hockey team and the Steel City Icebergs (special needs hockey) also will have outdoor ice time.

“Building this second rink will enable us to give so many people a chance to take part in the Winter Classic experience,” said David Morehouse, CEO and President of the Penguins. “The focus obviously is the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1 between the Penguins and Washington Capitals at Heinz Field, but the community rink at Stage AE helps us create a carnival of skating and hockey in the week leading up to the big game.”

The public skating schedule is:

Friday, Dec. 24
3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 25
12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 26
7:00 p.m. – 8:20 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 27
3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 28
3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.
6:30 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 29
3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.
6:30 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.

Thursday, Dec 30
3:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.
6:30 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 31
6:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Saturday, Jan. 1
4:10 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

A complete youth hockey schedule will be released next week, but the menu of games will include six high school hockey games, numerous amateur games and an international bantam tournament featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, Washington Junior Capitals and teams from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia (Sidney Crosby’s hometown) and Magnitogorsk, Russia (Evgeni Malkin’s hometown).